An Odessa man was sentenced earlier this week to 15 years in prison for a sexual assault conviction. In October, a jury found Adam Martin, 25, guilty of having sex with a 17-year-old victim. Martin’s criminal record includes three other felony convictions. He is also facing a new charge of distributing a controlled substance, which was filed just five days after the October verdict was rendered. According to court documents, Martin was in jail at the time of the alleged offense. He faces up to 15 years in prison on that charge. A trial date has not been set.

Press Release from the Lafayette County Prosecutor’s Office

Adam R. Martin, 25, Odessa, was found guilty of Sexual Assault on October 19th by a Lafayette County jury for conduct involving a 17-year old victim. Martin was sentenced earlier this week to the maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison. Judge Dennis Rolf handed down the sentence on Monday, November 19th after hearing the testimony of several witnesses. The conviction marks Martin’s fourth felony criminal conviction. Prosecutor Kellie Wingate Campbell presented evidence at both the jury trial and at sentencing in arguing for the maximum sentence.

During the two-day jury trial, Campbell presented the testimony of the victim, a close friend of the victim, a specially-trained Coversa sexual assault nurse who examined the victim within hours of the assault, the Missouri State Highway Patrol laboratory forensic examiner who evaluated DNA evidence, and the lead detective in the case from the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department. The State argued that the victim’s state of intoxication rendered her incapable of giving consent. The defense presented witnesses in addition to Martin’s own testimony that he did not have sexual relations with the victim.

Martin is also facing a new charge of Distribution of a Controlled Substance filed just five days after the verdict for conduct that allegedly occurred in jail after he was taken into custody within hours following the jury’s verdict. Martin faces the possibility of fifteen years in prison on the new charge due to his prior record which includes a conviction for Distribution of a Controlled Substance in Johnson County, Missouri. No trial date in the new case has been set. Defendants are presumed innocent on pending charges until proven guilty in a court of law.